China

Patron of Art Edition 2009 Max von Oppenheim - China

Winner:
Mr Ma Wei-Du

Patronage:
Ga Fu Classical Art Museum

Jury Members:
Mr Lu Kun
Mr Zhang Zi Kag
Ms Zhao Ru Heng

The Event:
On 8 June 2009, the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award 2009 was given to Ma Wei-Du, founder and Chief Director of the Guanfu Museum, for his outstanding achievement in the promotion and development of traditional arts and culture in China.

Ma Wei-Du expressed his gratitude to the Montblanc Cultural Foundation for his award saying: “Creating China's first private museum was a great achievement, but we still have a long way to go. I will continue to commit myself to the growth of the Guanfu Museum, making it a cultural symbol of the times.”

During the awards ceremony, a live show was put on in honour of Ma Wei Du and his work, featuring four artistic performances.

The first three acts were based on the typical pursuits of a Chinese scholar – writing, poetry and music. Against a simply lit minimalist black background, calligrapher Zhang Ji-Hai painted words onto a canvas, an actor recited a poem and a group of dancers performed a classical Chinese dance with a contemporary twist.

Each act was accompanied by music and movement, bringing the different art forms together. The final act was a performance from famous guqin player Li Xiang-Ting, one of the most important musicians of his generation and a distinguished professor at Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music.

The performers together succeeded in mesmerising the modern-day audience with the beauty and simplicity of China’s classical arts.